Oatmeal is the unsung hero of camping breakfasts. While it’s not as flashy as a cast iron breakfast skillet or a well-prepared egg sandwich, a bowl of warm oatmeal never fails to come through in a pinch. Nothing else is as economical to buy, easy to make, or as fast to prepare. When times are tough or you’re just in a rush, it’s oatmeal that comes to the rescue.
However, oatmeal does have one weakness: on its own, it’s terribly bland. This can be a major hang-up for a lot of people, especially anyone who has tried to eat a plain bowl of oats on their own. To attempt such a feat is a mistake people only make once in their lifetime. However, oatmeal’s nonexistent flavor is actually its greatest strength. While it’s certainly no masterpiece, oatmeal makes for a wonderful blank canvas.
So a little imagination is required, and our friends from Fresh of the Grid decided turn to fruit for a little inspiration. These days, every roadside fruit stand seems to be overflowing with apples, so they decided to start there. Now, fresh apples are one thing, but they were going for more of nostalgic apple pie flavor, so they decided to “enhance” the experience with a seasonal spice mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and clove. Maple syrup, a camp cooking staple, was selected as the obvious sweetener. And finally, a medley of seeds (chia, flax, hemp) were added to bulk up the protein. When blended all together, the mix could hardly be considered oatmeal.
So if you’re looking to reinvigorate your morning bowl of oats, give this recipe a try and bring a little bit of homemade taste into the mix. This is a great morning starter while on one of our bike tours.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 medium apple, diced into 1/2 cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 2 tablespoons seeds, (we use a blend of equal parts hemp flax, and chia)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat the water and salt into a medium pot until it comes to a boil.
- Add the oats, simmer for about ten minutes, or until the oats are tender, stirring occasionally. Halfway through the cooking time, add the apple, spices, and maple syrup.
Since 1992, we at Escape Adventures have been blessed to shape and lead adventure travel vacations through some of the most awe-inspiring natural destinations in the world. Each successive season, our passion for adventure grows through memorable moments with our guests. Fresh air, faith, fitness and friends are the building blocks for our ventures, the treasured experiences that keep us moving forward. For those of you who have trekked and traveled with us over the past quarter century, Heather and I express our sincerest gratitude. The memories are priceless.
